George Papadopolous, ex-Trump aide, pleads guilty in connection to Russia probe: Who is he?

George Papadopolous, former adviser to the Trump campaign, pleads guilty to making false statements to FBI agents investigating Russian meddling in presidential election; reaction from Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

George Papadopolous, a former foreign policy adviser to President Trump’s campaign, pleaded guilty earlier this month to making false statements to the FBI.

Papadopolous, 30, was charged with willfully and knowingly making false statements to FBI agents regarding “the timing, extent and nature of his relationships and interactions with certain foreign nationals whom he understood to have close connections with senior Russian government officials,” according to court documents.

Papadopolous was arrested on July 27 and pleaded guilty on Oct. 5.

How is Papadopolous connected to Trump?

Papadopolous was an early foreign policy adviser for Trump’s presidential campaign.

How is Papadopoloustied to the Russia investigation?

After becoming an adviser to the Trump campaign, Papadopolous interacted with a professor “understood to have substantial connections to Russian government officials” who told Papadopolous that the Russians had “dirt” on Hillary Clinton, Trump’s campaign rival, according to court documents released by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office.

George Papadopolous, a former adviser to President Trump’s campaign, pleaded guilty on Oct. 5 to lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russian officials. (Fox News)

Papadopolous had told investigators that the professor divulged the information prior to his joining the Trump campaign. However, “the professor only took interest in [Papadopolous] because of his status with” the campaign, according to court documents.

Papadopolous also “repeatedly” attempted to use the professors’ Russian connections as well as that of a “female Russian national” to arrange meetings between the Trump campaign and Russian government officials, according to the Special Counsel’s Office.

He is cooperating with the FBI’s investigation, according to court documents.

Additionally, Paul Manafort, 68, the former campaign chairman for President Trump, and his associate, Rick Gates, 45, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Monday on 12 charges stemming from conspiracy against the U.S., to conspiracy to launder money.

What else should you know about him?

Aside from campaign work, Papadopolous has worked as an oil and gas consultant, his LinkedIn page said. Much of his work has revolved around natural gas and Greece, Cyprus and Israel, according to the Washington Post.

He was also the director of the Center for International Energy and Natural Resources Law & Security at the London Center of International Law Practice.

From Chicago, Ill., Papadopolous graduated from DePaul University in 2009. He also received a Master of Science from the University of London, according to his LinkedIn page.